Nongravitational governor



Patented Dec. 31, 194-6 UNlTED STATES PA'rsNT OFFICE N ONGRAVITATIONAL GOVERNOR Application October 13, 1937, Serial No. 168,770

15 Claims.

The present invention relates to governing devices and more particularly to circuit controlling devices of the centrifugal type.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a speed governor which, in performing its regulatory functions, is free from any elfect of gravity upon its governing elements.

To enhance the operation of printing, telegraph receiving apparatus in airplanes, a nongravitational governor has been provided, the purpose and function of which is to make the speed adjustment of the printer motor independent of the orientation of the printer with respect to the earth. In the specific embodiment disclosed, two 15 pairs of centrifugal counterweights or flyweights are used cooperatively to eliminate any effect of gravity. The feature which makes the governor of the present invention completely non-gravitational is the arrangement of each pair of fly- 20 weights with respect to a spring plate supporting them on the ends of a bar fixed to the motor shaft. Moreover, to assure independence of the effect of gravity upon a centrally located contact, the flyweights of each pair are disposed one on 25 each side of said supporting springs, so that, when the axis of the motor is disposed vertically, the fiyweights will act equally on said supporting springs, thus tending at all times to maintain said supporting springs straight, and to prevent 'flexture thereof. Also, the particular arrangement of the fiyweights is such as to compensate for the eifect of gravity when the motor axis is horizontal.

A better understanding of the invention may be 35 had from the following description, taken with the accompanying drawing, wherein;

Fig. l is a sectional plan View of a governing device according to the present invention; and Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 40 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing in which like reference characters are used to designate similar parts throughout the figures, there is shown in Fig. 1 the governing device according to the pres- 45 ent invention, indicated generally as H, operatively associated with a motor 12 mounted on a base plate 13. Secured to the end of the motor shaft 14 of motor i2 is a bar 15 having a boss 56 integral therewith for carrying the set screw 50 11. Bar i5 is provided at each extremity thereof with laterally disposed ends [8 and 19 to which are clamped, by means of plates 2| and 22, respectively, flat spring members 23 and 24, respectively, arranged parallel to the axis of shaft 14.

55 spring 23 is positioned between a pair of counter-- (Cl. ZOO-80) weights 25 and 26 and clamped therebetween by clamping screws 21, and similarly, spring 24 is positioned between a pair of counterweights 2E and 29 and is clamped therebetween by means of clamping screws 3!, by which assembly there 5 is created an integral flyweight 25, 226 symmetrical to the plane of the spring 23, and similarly with elements 29, 3|. Equivalcntiy, an integral weight may be attached in balanced manner to each spring 23, 24.

Spanning the gap between the ccunterweights 2t and 28 and fastened thereto is a flat spring member 32 which is arched or cainbered therebetween. Spring 32 carries intermediate the counterweights a contact operating element 33 for controlling the contact 3d included in a power circuit for the motor l2.

One point of the contact 3 is carried by a contact arm 35 supported insulatedly by a plate 36 which forms a part of the governor frame. As shown in Fig. 2, plate is carried on posts 3'2 and 3t anchored in a plate 39 which in turn is appropriately bracketed to the motor i2. Thus, the governor is mounted entirely on the motor l2, and has no connection to base plate i3 because the fiexure of the base plate, due to the weight of the motor, would change the motor speed. Referring again to Fig. 1, the outer or companion point of the contact 34 is carried by a contact lever M which is pivotally articulated to an insulated bracket l2 by means of a spring hinge member 43 in such manner that the spring hinge 43 is riveted both to the bracket '82 and to the lever 41 to afford a flexible or hinge con nection between lever 4! and bracket t2 which is fixed upon plate 36. Lever M also carries at its end adjacent contact 34 a bearing plate 24, which cooperates with the contact operating element 33. A counterweight i5 is adjustably carried at the extremity of the opposite arm of lever ll. The function of the counterweight i5 is to compensate for the influence of gravity upon the members 32, 33, 4| and 44 when the axis of the motor shaft M is disposed verticaliy, to achieve thereby a balancing of structural elements to maintain the 45 pressure to which contacts 34 have been adjusted.

Intermediate the counterweight Q5 and hinge 43 is a spring post 45 which is insulatedfrom lever 51 by means of an insulating bushing ii. To spring post E6 is fastened one end of a coil spring t8 the other end of which is secured to one arm of a lever 49. Lever 59, as indicated in Fig. 2 is resiliently articulated to the plate of the governor frame by means of a spring hinge H which 55 is riveted or otherwise firmly connected both to a projection 52 of the plate and to the lever 43 to afford a flexible connection between lever 49 and the governor frame, in a manner similar to hinge 43. Spring hinges 43 and 51 are provided to prevent the hinged members from moving i1; directions not intended, thus obviating the play inherent in common forms of hinges. The opposite end of lever cooperates with an adjusting screw 53, carried in plate 36, in such a manner that any rightward or leftward movement (as viewed in Fig. 2) of the adjusting screw 53 with respect to the governor frame will cause lever 23 to rotate slightly which will vary the tension of spring upon lever 41.

In operation of the governing device according to the present invention, the rapid rotation of motor shaft it will cause a corresponding rotation of bar i5 which, due to centrifugal force, will cause the counterweights 26, 27, 28, and 29 to move away from the center of the axis of the motor shaft thus flexing the springs 23 and 24 outwardly. If the speed of the motor shaft becomes too great, the centrifugal force imparted to the counterweights will be sufficient to straighten the spring 32 thus causing member 33 to retire from its position shown to permit spring 48 to rotate arm 4|, causing contact 34 to open and to break the obvious power circuit for motor 52. As spring 32 thus straightens, spring 48 tends to bias lever 4| to maintain bearing 44 in contact with element 33. The response of lever 4! to the movement of spring 32 may be adjusted by varying the tension of spring 48 through the instrumentality of adjusting screw 53. In this connection it is observed that, due to the resilience of spring 32 and the action of spring 48, bearing 4 and element 33 are always in contact; that is, lever 4i always follows the movement of element 33. With this arrangement, an increase in tension of spring 48 in effect reduces the tension of spring 32 thus requiring less centrifugal force to open contact 34. On the other hand, a decrease in tension of spring 48 in effect increases the tension of spring 32 thus requiring more centrifugal force to open contact 34.

By means of the counterweights 25, 26, 28, and 25, the effect of gravity upon the position of contact 34 will be minimized.

When the axis of motor shaft 14 is horizontal and bar i5 is vertical, as shown in Fig. l, gravity acts to pull the lower counterweights 25 and 26 downward'iy, tending to straighten the spring 32, but this efiect will be compensated for by a corresponding pull of gravity upon upper counterweights 28 and 23, which tend to arch the spring and thus compensate for the effect produced by the lower counterweights. The mechanical contact operating element 33 thus is moved in a direction parallel to the plane of the surface of the bearing plate 44, and motion is not imparted to plate 44 nor to electrical contact member 34. With this construction, element 33 and bearing a l constitute a sliding mechanical contact, thus removing from electrical contacts 34 all sliding action or motion due to the action of gravity on the governing elements.

When the axis of motor shaft 14 is horizontal and bar i5 is horizontal, the flat springs 23, 24 prevent any response of the flyweights to gravity.

When the axis of motor shaft I4 is vertical, the pullof gravity is in the planes of spring 23, 24 and as weights 23, 29, and 25, 26 are symmetrical with reference to these planes, there is no spring flexure in response to gravity. By this arrangement, contact 34 is made to assume, under all conditions, substantially the same position to which it has been adjusted by the adjusting screw 53.

In Fig. 2 is illustrated a spring means for permitting delicate adjustment of the adjusting screw 53 and comprises a flat spring member 54 riveted to the governor frame plate 36 and having its extremity provided with a threaded hole to receive the adjusting screw 53 so that the spring 54 at all times tends to urge the adjusting screw outwardly or leftwardly (as viewed in Fig. 2), due to the spring tension, to take up the play between the threads and thus prevent rotation of the adjusting screw 53 due to vibration, which rotation, if permitted, would disturb the accuracy of adjustment of contacts 34. Thus spring 54 functions as a friction lock to hold the adjusting screw 53 in the position set. The governor frame is enclosed by a cover 55 suitably attached to base plate [3 and plate 39.

The non-gravitational governor, according to the present invention, finds its most useful application to motors, particularly motors for operating printing telegraph apparatus employed in airplanes, in which use it is subjected to all possible positions, which positions can readily be assumed with the use of the described governing device, without unfavorable consequences due to the effect of gravity.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in connection with a specific embodiment thereof, it is understood that such an embodiment is merely illustrative and not restrictive, and that all forms coming within the scope of equivalency of the appended claims are intended to be covered by the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a governor for an electrical circuit, the combination of a rotatable shaft, 3. member supported on the end of said shaft and extending at right angles thereto, flexible members carried at each end of said member and disposed parallel to the axis of said shaft, said flexible members having weights fastened to the ends thereof, a flexible member supported on said weights, 9. contact control means carried by said flexible member, a fixed member, and electrical contacts, one carried by said flxed member operated by said control means.

2. In a governor for an electrical circuit, the combination of a rotatable shaft, a member supported on the end of said shaft and extending at right angles thereto, flexible members carried at each end of said member and disposed parallel to the axis of said shaft, said flexible members having weights fastened to the ends thereof, a flexible member supported on said weights, a contact control means carried by said flexible memher, a member carrying a contact arranged to coperate with said control means, threaded adjusting means for said last recited member, and spring means cooperating with the threads of said adjusting means to maintain the setting thereof.

3. In a centrifugally controlled contact device, a rotary shaft, a transverse bar upon said shaft, a pair of springs upon said bar extending parallel to the axis of said shaft, a link interconnecting said springs, centrifugal weights upon springs and gravitationally symmetrical to each spring when the axis of said shaft is vertical, and an electrical contact controlled by said link.

4. In a centrifugally controlled contact device, a rotary shaft, a transverse member upon said said F shaft, a plurality of springs upon said member extending parallel to the axis of said shaft, a

linkage interconnecting said springs, centrifugal weights upon said springs and gravitationally symmetricalto each spring when the axis of said shaft is vertical, and an electrical contact controlled by said linkage.

5, In a centrifugally controlled contact device, a rotary shaft subject to variant axial positions, a pair of centrifugal weights carried elastically by said shaft and diametrically located with reference to the axis of said shaft, a. spring bridging member attached to said Weights and responsive by change in shape to variations in distance between said weights, and an electrical contact responsive to change in shape of said spring bridging member.

In a centrifugally controlled contact device, a rotary shaft subject to variant axial positions, a pair of springs carried by said shaft and having inherent spring tensions positioning them substantially parallel to the axis of said shaft, weights carried by said springs and subject to centrifugal force and to gravity, and a flexible member connected to said weights and responsive in shape to variation in the distance between said weights, said distance variable by centrifugal force solely.

7. In a centrifugally controlled contact device, a rotary shaft, a pair of centrifugal weights carried elastically by said shaft .and responsive seve erally to centrifugal force and to gravity, an operating mechanical contact carried by said Weights and responsive to movement of said weights in one direction when said weights respond to centrifugal force and in another direction when said weights respond to gravity, an electrical contact, and means responsive to centrifugal movement of said weights for selectively transferring movement of said mechanical contact to said electrical contact comprising a plane contact surface engaged by said mechanical contact, the plane of said surface being parallel to movement of said mechanical contact in response to gravitational movement of said weights.

In a centrifugally controlled contact device, a rotary shaft, a transverse member on said shaft, a plurality of springs upon said member extending parallel to the axis of said shaft, a linkage interconnecting said springs, centrifugal weights upon said springs and gravitationally symmetrical to each spring when the axis of said shaft is vertical, a pair of non-rotational contacts, and means controlled by said linkage for controlling said contacts.

9. In a governor for an electrical circuit, the combination of a rotatable shaft, a member supported on the end of said shaft and extending at right angles thereto, flexible members carried by each end of said member and disposed parallel to the axis of said shaft, said flexible members having weights fastened to the ends thereof, a flexible member supported on said weights, a contact controlling means carried by said flexible member, a fixed member, an electrical contact on said fixed member, and a pivoted member carrying an electrical contact cooperating with said other electrical contact and operated by said contact controlling means.

20. In a governor for an electrical circuit, the combination of a rotatable shaft, a member supported on the end of said shaft and extending at right angles thereto, flexible members carried by each end of said member and disposed parallel to the axis of said shaft, said flexible members having weights fastened to the ends thereof, a

flexible member extending between the flexible members carrying said weights, a fixed member, and electrical contacts, one carried by said fixed member operated by the flexible member extend ing between the. flexible members carrying said weights.

11. In a governor for an electrical circuit, the combination of a rotatatble shaft, a member supported on the end of said shaft and extending at right angles thereto, flexible members carried at each end of said member and disposed parallel to the axis of said shaft, said flexible members having weights fastened to the ends thereof, a flexible member supported on said weights, a member carrying a contact arranged to be operated by the flexible member supported on said weights, threaded adjusting means for said last recited member, and a counterweight adjustably positioned on said last recited member to compensate for gravitational action when said shaft is in a vertical plane.

12. In a governor for an electrical circuit, the combination of a rotatable shaft, an element supported on the end of said shaft and extending at right angles thereto, flexible members carried at each end of said element and disposed parallel to the axis of said shaft, weights fastened to the ends of each of said flexible members, a flexible member extending between and secured to said weights, a fixed member, an electrical contact carried by said fixed member, another member carrying a contact to cooperate with the contact carried by said fixed member, and a reed spring for hingedly supporting said other member whereby the action of the flexible member extending between and secured to said weights is imparted to said electrical contacts.

13. In a centrifugally controlled contact device, a rotary shaft, means carried elastically by said shaft and responsive severally to centrifugal force and to gravity, an operating mechanical contact carried by said means and responsive to movement of said means in one direction when said means responds to centrifugal force and in another direction when said means responds to gravity, an electrical contact, and means responsive to centrifugal movement of said first recited means for selectively transferring movement of said mechanical contact to said electrical contact comprising a plane contact surface engaged by said mechanical contact, the plane of said surface being parallel to movement of said mechanical contact in response to gravitational movement of said first recited means.

14-. In a governor for an electrical circuit, the combination of a rotatable shaft, a member supported on the end of said shaft and extending at right angles thereto, flexible members carried at each end of said member and disposed parallel to the axis of said shaft, each of said flexible members having a pair of centrifugal weights fastened to the ends thereof, each of said pair of weights arranged symmetrically about the associated member to compensate for gravity when said shaft assumes certain predetermined positions, a flexible member supported on certain of said weights, a contact control means carried by said flexible member, a fixed member, and electrical contacts, one carried by said fixed member operated by said control means.

15. In a centrifugally controlled contact device, a rotary shaft subject to variant axial positions, a pair of springs carried by said shaft and having inherent spring tensions positioning them substantially parallel to the axis of said shaft, pairs of weights carried by said springs and subject said distance variable by centrifugal force solely, to centrifugal force, the weights in each pair the efiect of gravity being compensated for by arranged so as to be gravitationally symmetrical said gravitationally symmetrical arrangement of to the associated spring in certain predtermined said weights.

axial positions of said shaft, and a flexible member JACQUES STUSSI. connected to said weights and responsive in shape RAYMOND E. ZENNER. to variation in the distance between said weights, 

